The best things to do in NYC this weekend

What’s more elegantly spooky than a classic horror film accompanied by a live orchestral score? On Friday, October 25, the Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra will set the stage for a spine-tingling Halloween with two performances of the 1925 silent film The Phantom of the Opera, at St. Ann and the Holy Trinity Church, at 8pm and 11pm respectively.

Featuring the historic Peabody Memorial Organ—an instrument comprising 4,718 pipes—the orchestra’s live score along with the historic gothic architecture of the space will amp up the immersively eerie atmosphere. “This fusion of film and music will create an atmosphere that’s both haunting and electrifying, setting the perfect tone for the season,” said Maestro Phil Nuzzo, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Brooklyn Chamber Orchestra.

Guests are welcome to further embrace the Halloween spirit by attending in costume!

Though it's billed as "a dance party for the ghouls and gays," this "HalloKween" celebration from the New York City Gay Men's Chorus is all treats, no tricks.

Happening on Friday, October 25 at 8:30pm at Sir Henry's NYC in Hell's Kitchen, NYCGMC's Halloween Spectacular will feature electrifying pop-up drag performances from some of the city's most talented queens, a costume contest (so dress in your dazzling best for the chance to win!), thrilling raffles with spooktacular prizes, and more. And as with all things from the NYCGMC, the bewitching bash will continue the chorus's mission of equality, inclusion and diversity. 

Cheer for all the cute doggos in their Halloween finery during this year's 26th Annual Great PUPkin Dog Costume Contest on Saturday, October 26. Held every year by Fort Greene Park Users and Pets Society since 1998, the event is held at the bottom of the Prison Ship Martyrs’ Monument stairs, where more than a hundred dogs run around in silly and creative costumes from RBG to hot dogs and more.

The entry fee for participants is $20; dogs and their humans must register before Sunday, October 20th at 10pm. It's free to watch the show with no registration required.

Love Broadway and Halloween? Don’t miss the MCNY Halloween Bash at the Museum of the City of New York on Saturday, October 26, which welcomes spirited revelers to step into the spotlight as their favorite Broadway character for a night of theatrical thrills and NYC chills.

Attendees can enjoy live dance performances by ThrillerNYC, costume contests with exciting prizes, themed cocktails at the MCNY Bar and live sets on the museum’s South Terrace with DJ Misbehaviour and Stormin Norman. Need a break from the dance floor? You can stroll after-hours through MCNY exhibits like You Are Here: An Immersive Film Experience and Art Deco City: New York Postcards from the Leonard A. Lauder Collection.

Once again this year, the family-friendly Pumpkin Point will bring thousands of festive gourds to the island, transforming historic Nolan Park into a picture-perfect fall wonderland. Best of all? Visitors are welcome to pick out a pumpkin to take home in exchange for a small donation. 

In addition to the marvelous gourds, programming on October 26-27 is set to include Halloween-inspired arts and crafts activities, story-telling, live music and trick-or-treating at Nolan Park's historic houses (so be sure to wear your costumes!). A selection of Governors Island vendors will also be offering fall-themed food and beverages on-site for purchase, autumn brews included. See you at the patch!

Randall's Island Park is a great local visit anytime of year, but on Saturday, October 26, it's going to be packed with free fall fun for the whole family. From noon to 3pm, head to the White Garden by Field 74 for the park's annual "Boo Bash," a full afternoon of Halloween-themed activities, festive treats, live music and more.

And, of course, it wouldn't be a spooky celebration without some dress up, so break out those costumes!

For the third year, Lincoln Center invites families and audiences of all ages for a free full-day Open House brimming with creativity, community and inspiring live performances.

On Sunday, October 27, David Geffen Hall welcomes guests to experience the performing arts up close, with free workshops, interactive performances, participatory art-making, music and dance. The full day of events includes an exciting session with #1 New York Times bestselling children's book author and playwright Mo Willems, in participation with musicians from the New York Philharmonic; excerpts from Electric Root Presents: Selections from The Sound of (Black) Music, a groundbreaking show that reimagines the music from Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music; WeBop jam sessions with Jazz at Lincoln Center; Motion Sensor Dance Parties with musician LaFrae Sci; costume-making stations with designer DeShon Elem; and much more.

And don't forget to break out your best costumes for the Halloween Weekend festivities! 

Cole Escola’s Oh, Mary! is not just funny: It is dizzyingly, breathtakingly funny, the kind of funny that ambushes your body into uncontained laughter. Stage comedies have become an endangered species in recent decades, and when they do pop up they tend to be the kind of funny that evokes smirks, chuckles or wry smiles of recognition. That's not so at Oh, Mary! where the audience burst into applause at the end of every scene.

Fasten your seatbelts: This 80-minute show is a fast and wild joy ride. In this hilariously anachronistic historical burlesque, Escola plays—who else?—Mary Todd Lincoln, in the weeks leading up to her husband’s assassination. Boozy, vicious and miserable, the unstable and outrageously contrary Mary is oblivious to the Civil War and hell-bent on achieving stardom as—what else?—a cabaret singer.

Ooh and ahh (and aww) over the cute dogs in costumes at the Washington Square Park Dog Halloween event. From decked-out doodles to costumed corgis, all the goodest doggos will be dressed up in their finery for this fall festivity on Saturday, October 26. The parade starts at 11am with the costume contest at 12:30pm. 

For the first time, entry is free. Just be sure to register on-site on the day of the event starting at 9am. 

All the fun's hosted by the Washington Square Park Conservancy.

Get ready for an epic paint battle at Secret Walls: The Art of Competition Tour, which is coming to New York's No One Home Sports Bar on Saturday, October 26. The live art competition will see New York-based graffiti artists and muralists like Jason Naylor, Lamour Supreme, Ross Pino and Jappy Agoncillo as they form teams, gear up with POSCA paint markers, brushes, rollers and more, and showcase their skills on a giant wall as their canvas.

With only 90 minutes to ideate and complete their piece, the teams will go head to head in an adrenaline-pumping face-off, with the winner chosen by special guest judges as well as a decibel meter measuring audience reaction. All of this action will be hosted by Che Anderson, supported by live sounds from amazing local DJ Gianni Lee, and will be accompanied by interactive brand experiences from Monster Energy Ultra, Rabble Wines, and more. 

Come out of the coffin for a supernatural Halloween edition of Brian Newman After Dark & Club Midnight on Friday, October 25 at the Mastercard Midnight Theater (5 Manhattan West).

"Fangtastia" will feature live music courtesy of Grammy-award winning vocalist and trumpeter (and Lady Gaga’s bandleader!) Brian Newman & The Brian Newman Band, as well as vinyl DJs. You can also enjoy performances by burlesque artists, shapeshifters, witches, and more, with a lineup including Angie Pontani, The Midnight Dancers, Lilin, Mademoiselle Estelle, Perse Fanny, Andrea Flow and Syn Sultress. And don't miss photo opportunities with the Brides of Dracula, but be careful—they bite!

Give your usual Saturday stroll an artful upgrade: the annual Madison Avenue Fall Gallery Walk is back on Saturday, October 26, offering the public the opportunity to see what’s new and exciting across a premier roster of 50 galleries located along Madison Avenue. The route stretched between East 57 and East 86th Streets and adjacent side streets.

Along with access to 50-plus galleries, attendees can enjoy curator talks and tours, as well as the chance to meet some of the exhibited artists themselves. Though the event is free, pre-registration is required for all Gallery Walks and Talks, so sign up here!

The Chinatown Arts Festival is back from through October 27 with parties, art shows, and other cultural events. It's produced by Think!Chinatown, an organization that fosters the bustling art scene in the Manhattan neighborhood. 

A guided Cantonese opera experience about the Legend of the Purple Hairpin will delight, this one in the bamboo garden at 5 Essex on October 26. The festival will wrap up with a huge block party on October 27, with tunes provided by DJ Yiu Yiu. 

To stay updated on the latest information about performances and schedules, visit the festival's website. 

Looking for a happening Halloween bash? Head to the Arlo Soho for a Halloween Horror multi-level party on Saturday, October 26. From 10pm to 2am, guests will enjoy exclusive access to ART Rooftop, a four-hour premium open bar, live music, a photo booth, DJ performances, live entertainment and a costume contest where the winner will take home a complimentary experience for two at the property’s ground-floor speakeasy Foxtail, which has been refashioned into a Crypt of Mischief.

“This night will be filled with thrilling secrets, unforgettable entertainment, and an air of forbidden excitement,” organizers promise.

Get ready for a howlin' good time at the first-ever Riverside Park Pup Halloween Parade and Costume Contest. Held on Saturday, October 26 from noon to 3pm, the parade will kick off at the promenade in Riverside Park by 116th Street and end at Ellington in the Park at 105th Street. Along the way, you’ll see adorable pups dressed in their Halloween best.

Participants will have the chance to compete in the Costume Contest categories—including Best Small Pup, Best Large Pup, Spookiest Pup and People’s Choice Pup, among others—for a variety of prizes. The parade is part of Riverside Park Conservancy’s “Riverside Park Pups” program, which aims to bring together Riverside Park’s large dog community and six dog runs. 

You might not think sitting by the busy shores of New York City would be a tranquil experience, but The Nature Conservancy and Riverside Park Conservancy are here to change your perceptions.

In honor of City of Forest Day, a citywide celebration in honor of the NYC urban forest, on Saturday, October 26, you can partake in a free sound bath and meditative experience featuring live instruments and resonant sounds on the shore of the Hudson River. Kicking off at 4pm, the program will be led by soundscape practitioner Jeffrey Connors and will conclude with sunset and time for participants to connect over the experience. The calming event is free and open to the public (though registration is encouraged)—simply bring your own blanket!

The Downtown Brooklyn Partnership’s spooktacular Halloween event, BKLYN BOO! returns this weekend, taking over Albee Square on Saturday, October 26 with a full afternoon of family-friendly fun. From noon to 3pm, you and the kiddos can create Frankenstein slime with The Craft Studio, enjoy a puppet slam hosted by Toybox Theater, and dance away in your favorite costume to spirited tunes spun by DJ Mike.

Things are getting steamy over at the second annual Erotic Art Fair, taking place at TV Eye in Queens on Saturday, October 26. From 12:30pm to 7pm, you can come and peruse rare vintage smut magazines, antique erotic collectibles, saucy books and other titillating novelties, with vendor booths from the likes of Greasy Cinema, Harlequin Vintage, Self Help Smut, Fungus Books, Erotomechanics Bookshop and more.

There will also be a lineup of prominent artists who created sexually themed handmade art exclusively for the event, including Mike Diana, Richard Kern, SUCKLORD, Pansy Ass Ceramics and Yuka Hira, among others.

For the past six decades, Barbie has delighted fans around the globe. And this new exhibit in NYC celebrates the doll in all her full plastic glory. Barbie: A Cultural Icon is now open at the Museum of Arts and Design to celebrate the 65-year history of the Barbie franchise and its global impact.

The exhibit includes 250 vintage dolls as well as life-size fashion designs, ads, and vintage interviews with the doll's designers. The show also considers the impact of the Space Age and even the Civil Rights Movement, which would eventually lead to the creation of the first Black and non-white Barbies in the 2000s. You'll also be able to see how American fashion evolved through the years, from disco to beachwear and eventually, to the inclusion of different body types. 

It's on view through March 16, 2025.

Calling all crafty witches! Unleash your creativity and create your own celestial keepsake to tribute mother moon at this Mystical Moon Embroidery Workshop, hosted by crafting expert and content creator Jessie Katz Greenberg at Dutch Baby Bakery in Washington Heights (813 West 187th Street) on October 25.

Perfect for beginners, this hands-on class will guide you through every step of the project, from learning the best practices for creating a Stick n’ Stitch embroidery pattern to getting tips on how to use crystals to set intentions and manifest your desires. As you stuff your moon ornament, you’ll sew a quartz crystal inside, infusing it with your personal intentions for the autumnal season ahead.

Audience members choose their own paths through a specially designed multifloor complex in the Financial District in this all-new immersive theatrical experience from Emursive, the producers of Punchdrunk's Sleep No More. Dozens of performers evoke life in the Gilded Age through narratives loosely inspired by real New York City history as well as literary sources like the Faust legend and Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray. Teddy Bergman directs the show, which is written by Jon Ronson and features scenic design Gabriel Hainer Evansohn and costumes by Emilio Sosa.

The Big Apple is getting a little salty. On Friday, October 25, Visit Salt Lake is transforming Hudson River Park’s Pier 84 into the Olympian’s Playground, a free pop-up park that brings the best of Salt Lake’s year-round outdoor adventures straight to New York City.

Enjoy the chance to meet real-life Olympic and Paralympic champions like Zach Miller (2022 Paralympic Snowboarder), Nick Page (2022 Winter Olympic Freestyle Skier), and Chris Lillis (2022 Olympic Gold Medalist Freestyle Skier), participate in exclusive fitness sessions inspired by those world-class athletes—from climbing to curling—and savor bites and drinks straight from Salt Lake’s finest. Kiddies can even get to see real Olympic medals up close and personal, and create their own to take home.

For a multi-sensory silent disco Halloween party experience, the Silent Scream Halloween Bash is returning to House Watch in the East Village on October 25. This particular Halloween silent disco is great not just because you can dance in your most dazzling costume, but also because you can move sonically across different sounds simply by switching channels. Transport yourself to an EDM set; rock out to 80s, 90s and 2000s hits; or vibe out to hip-hop, all in the exact same room. 

New York City residents have always cherished their pets, and the New-York Historical Society is here to document that. In the new special exhibition titled Pets and the City, they’ll feature an array of artwork—primarily obtained from the New-York Historical’s Museum and Library collections—that document the multidimensional roles animals have played to serve and coexist alongside human beings. See the exhibition from October 25 to April 27, 2025. 

Through photographs, memorabilia, film and television clips, the exhibition explores how the relationship between humans and their pets has transformed alongside the ever-changing New York City landscape. 

Celebrate Halloween through the ages at New York Historical Society's Historical Hallowe’en Party. 

Discover the immigrant origins of some of our most iconic fall traditions (like jack-o’-lanterns) and learn all about Día de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead, a holiday celebrated at the beginning of November in Mexico and beyond by many families). Plus, play hands-on games, listen to spooky and silly stories, try out historical fall activities, and enjoy buckets of candy.

The museum will also celebrate the new Pets and the City exhibit with a photo op featuring some Halloween-inspired creepy-crawly, winged, and furry critters.

This all-ages celebration at the Upper West Side museum runs from 2-4pm on Sunday, October 27; it's included with museum admission. Costumes are encouraged.

The only thing better than a Timothée Chalamet sighting in NYC is an afternoon filled with Chalamet doppelgangers, which is exactly what’s going to happen this weekend when a Timothée Chalamet look-alike contest is set to take place by the Washington Square Park arch.

The winner of the October 27 contest, which will kick off at 1pm, will earn everlasting glory. According to the event’s official invite, nearly 900 people have already RSVP’d yes to the competition and some have even uploaded photos of themselves, staking their virtual claim to the title.

For a more exclusive Halloween experience, the members-only social club Ned's Club NoMad is collaborating with the team behind the infamous and very iconic nightlife venue The Box for an event that is open to the public. The party—yes, there will be DJ sets—is based on the theme Carnevil, which will begin with a journey through Ned's Club Downstairs before leading into the Haunted Hotel on the second floor where performances and spooky surprises are sure to abound.

The experience will begin at 10pm on Otober 26 and continue till late into the night. 

Dress up your furry friend in a fabulous costume because the Van Cortlandt Park Alliance is hosting its Halloween: Wags to Witches event, complete with the second annual Canine Costume Contest.

On Sunday, October 27 starting at noon, you can enjoy a free, fang-tastic afternoon of creepy crafts, face painting, spine-chilling stories and more at the Van Cortlandt House Museum Lawn. And then at 2pm, you’ll see pups strut their stuff in their spooky best—your pet can participate for a $20 pre-registration or $25 day of. Proceeds go towards the care and maintenance of Van Cortlandt Park's three dog runs.

Join the Gay Ghoul for an eerie evening of sketch comedy. On Thursday, October 31 at 7pm, head to the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre to hear creepy chronicles straight from ghoul’s grimoire of gruesomeness. He will be joined onstage by a frighteningly funny lineup of sketch comedy performers, including Andrea Coleman, Kevin Delano, Kate Gauthier, Tim Girrbach, John Xavier Miller, Brian Olsen and Ann Marie Yoo.

From October 24 through November 1, Somewhere Nowhere's rooftop and bar will be transformed into a world of eerie, mutated creatures for a series of Halloween parties featuring some of the best views anywhere.

On October 25, the Annual Villain's Ball will bring headling rapper Sheck Wes; October 27 will bring a Creatures of the Forest party presented by Forest Döwn Under with Oscar G; and on Halloween Night, the venue will welcome Tech House Star Claptone. For the first time ever, Somewhere Nowhwere will also have a Dia de Los Muertos celebration on November 1, which will feature performances and sets by Latin DJs.

Visit their Dice page to check out individual events.

New Yorkers itching to see the Sistine Chapel's ceiling painted by Michelangelo usually have to embark on an eight-and-a-half hour flight to Rome before finding their way to the Vatican City.

But, starting Friday, October 11, the special slice of history is going to land in Brooklyn in an immersive exhibit. Michalangelo's Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition is touching down in Industry City through January 5, 2025, after stints in London, Shanghai, Toronto, Chicago, Vienna and other cities around the world. 

The exhibition features 34 of the famous frescoes reproduced in precise detail with bold color and enhanced details to give visitors a fuller experience than they would get if they visited the Vatican, where the artwork towers a staggering 66 feet above the main floor and where details can get lost if you don't have hawk-like vision. Tickets range from $22 to $26.

Explore the legacy of Belle da Costa Greene (1879–1950). The Morgan’s first director, she is one of the most prominent librarians in American history. American financier J. Pierpont Morgan hired her as his personal librarian in 1905. After Morgan’s death in 1913, Greene continued as the librarian of his son and heir, J. P. Morgan Jr., who transformed his father’s library into the public institution we know today.

A new exhibition about her, "Belle da Costa Greene: A Librarian's Legacy" runs October 25 through May 4, 2025 at The Morgan. 

Shop 'til you drop at FAD Market, a curated fashion, art and design pop-up marketplace, which is back for 2024. Expect to see your favorite makers plus brand new creatives to help you live smarter, gift better and support local businesses. 

FAD—which stands for Fashion, Art and Design—takes over different venues with a horde of independent vendors and creators. Admission is free and dogs are welcome!

Peruse handmade jewelry, apparel, skincare products, tableware, artisanal packaged food, and more. Whether you're shopping for you or a friend (or even getting an early on that holiday shopping), there are plenty of local gems to pick up. 

This weekend, October 26-27, is the Fall Market at The Invisible Dog Art Center in Boerum Hill.

The New York nightlife legend and icon Susanne Bartsch is hosting an impressive Halloween party at MoMA PS1 on October 25, Night at the Museum: The Return of Halloqueens. Prepare for a night of sweaty dancing, performances, and a costume contest judged by the DuPont twins. Also expect an impressive slate of celebrity hosts, including Julio Torres, SNL's Bowen Yang, Eartheater, and more. Booty shaking beats will be provided by Amber Valentine, Jeremy Kost, Tommie Sunshine, and Charlene.

For the third time, renowned Indonesian fiber artist Mulyana is bringing an eye-opening exhibition to the Sapar Contemporary art gallery in Tribeca. On view through November 20, Remembering Our Collective Future  offers “a profound meditation on the fragility of marine ecosystems,” symbolized through the artist’s use of sustainable and recyclable materials.

Transforming the gallery into an immersive underwater landscape, “Mulyana invites viewers to reflect on the current state of our oceans and consider the possibility of a radical shift in our approach to environmental preservation,” organizers say.

Looking for something a little more interesting than costumes and candy for Halloween? The Feast of Signs & Symbols is a lush, interactive re-imagining of The Eleusinian Mysteries—specifically the story of Persephone and Hades—told via three acts across five stories in a secret Soho location (the address of which will be revealed upon ticket purchase).

Alongside immersive readings, actor interactions, aerial moments, live music and more, the performance will include a feast table (light food included in the ticket price) and personal readings by seers based on your sign and symbols. The event runs through November 2.

As the Revolutionary War came to a close, British Loyalists and soldiers evacuated the colonies in droves. But the evacuation was more complicated for Black Loyalists, some of whom joined the British cause in response to offers of freedom. 

In 1783, the new government formed a special committee to review the eligibility of some Black Loyalists to evacuate with the British Army, and that committee met at Fraunces Tavern in Lower Manhattan. A new permanent exhibit at the Fraunces Tavern Museum explores this important moment in history. 

The exhibition first opened last year, and officials are now moving it to a larger permanent gallery within the museum. The new space will offer a chance to include recent new discoveries of significant information concerning the identities of individuals participating in the Birch Trials and their inclusion in the Book of Negroes.

In 1999, Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa felt the history of Italian Americans needed a home after a temporary New-York Historical Society exhibit captured the community’s achievements and contributions. After a stint in a CUNY facility in midtown, Scelsa packed up his artifacts, signed a lease at the location of the former Banca Stabile, a bank patronized by Italian immigrants and opened the single-room Italian American Museum in 2008.  

A new museum of Italian American history is now open at the same location in Little Italy. Construction began in 2018 on a new building at 155 Mulberry Street, which now includes exhibits focused on Sicilian puppet theater’s history, Italian Americans who worked in the clothing industry and the journeys of Giovanni da Verrazzano in parts of the new six-story building.

Get ready to howl—with laughter, of course—at The Stand’s Halloween bash on October 31. Hosted by comedian Sienna Hubert-Ross, the evening will kick off with a pre-show open bar with drinks courtesy of Superbird Tequila, followed by an 8pm comedy lineup that includes Hubert-Ross, Lucas Zelnick and more. The grand finale is a late-night dance party powered by live DJs, an on-site tattoo artist and a fittingly freaky appearance by Terrifier's Art the Clown.

Costumes are strongly encouraged and tickets are required for the open bar and the comedy show, but entry to the party is free for all, so grab your ghoulfriends!

This fascinating 90-minute tour introduces you to all the secrets of the 200-year-old Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral. Enter areas off-limits to the public, including the Henry Erban Organ, the cemeteries, and top it all off with an exclusive walk-through of the Catacombs themselves.

Even better, you will experience the whole tour by candlelight (romantic, if you ignore the dead bodies part). This unique and historic site serves as the final resting place for many prominent New Yorkers, including the Delmonico Family, General Thomas Eckert (a confidant of Abraham Lincoln), Honest John Kelly of Tammany Hall and the first resident Bishop of New York, Bishop John Connolly. 

If you think there weren't great quality, white-knuckle worthy haunted houses in Brooklyn-slash-Queens, you're wrong: The Ridgewood Asylum and Haunted House has been a local crowd favorite for years. Operated by the beloved owners of The Deep End bar, The Ridgewood Asylum is part escape room and part haunted house and this year's iteration will be the biggest they've ever built. 

What we love about this haunted house is that it isn't just about jump scares, either: It's always meticulously thought out, with storylines and plots and details you won't usually get from more commericial haunted houses in the city. The Ridgewood Asylum will open on October 11 and run until November 1. 

Horror fans, get ready to indulge in all things scary and spine-tingling: The Haunted House FearFest will get pulses racing with a curation of independent horror films, video games and more from Thursday, October 24 through Saturday, October 26 at the Triad Theater on the Upper West Side.

Whether you’re into slashers, zombies, gore and more, there will be something to tickle your freaky fancy—among selected titles at the festival this year include Academy Award-nominee John R. Dilworth’s short film Howl If You Love Me (the filmmaker will be in attendance at the festival to introduce the film), as well as a special screening of season 3 of HauntTV’s hit series Haunted Discoveries, with host Mustafa Gatollari also on hand to present a selected episode from the new season.

This new immersive experience at Rockefeller Center is based on the story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. The experience starts at the Sleepy Hollow Harvest, where you'll encounter characters from the Headless Horseman tale. Then, you'll make your way through the Hollows and the cornfield before you arrive at Ichabod’s Enchanted Grove. The journey winds through a few more experiences before ending at the Jack O’Lantern Atelier.

“Sleepy Hollow: Autumn’s Harvest” runs through November 10. Tickets start at $24. You can plan your visit on their website here. 

On October 27, 1904, New Yorkers dressed in their finest clothing and hosted dinner parties to celebrate the big news of the year. After four years of messy, sometimes controversial construction, a subway had opened in New York City. Officials didn't know if people would show up for its debut, but more than 100,000 people descended beneath the ground that evening to traverse the system's 9 miles and 28 stations. The next day, a Sunday, more than 1 million people showed up on the subway's first full open day. 

It may not seem like a big deal to us now, but the subway was revolutionary—and it still is. A fascinating new exhibit at the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn digs into the history and the future of our underground rail system. Titled "The Subway Is...," the exhibition brings together artifacts, photos, multimedia installations, old advertisements, train models and more to tell the story of our city's subway system. 

Bryant Park's Winter Village by Bank of America will soon open on October 25 in NYC with exciting holiday shops, food and activities through March 2, 2025.

Its 17,000-square-foot ice-skating rink that’s free to use (if you bring your own skates) is always the highlight, but the Winter Village in all its holiday spirit is a close second. This year, over 170 new and returning kiosks will be there for you to peruse.

You'll also be able to cozy up at The Lodge: a covered, outdoor après-themed area where visitors can grab a festive cocktail, enjoy delicious food, watch the ice skaters or admire the tree.

Very soon, you’ll be able to glide around the ice at Central Park’s Wollman Rink once again. The iconic rink reopens on Saturday, October 26, with a weekend-long celebration including free admission. 

During the skating season, enjoy skyline views, rinkside igloos, an expanded skate school, and free access programs. General admission ranges from $15-$38 for adults, depending on the date; kids and seniors get in for $10/person. Skate rentals cost $12. 

The world's most famous ice rink is back for the season—yes, even before Halloween. The Rink at Rockefeller Center is now open and ready for anybody who's feeling more "holiday season" than "spooky season."

The iconic Manhattan ice rink, a fixture in countless movies and TV shows, is celebrating 88 years in New York City. It officially opened on Saturday, October 12 and will be open throughout the fall and winter. 

Tickets to the rink start at $21 per person and go up to $114 per person, depending on the date, time and skater's age. Skate rentals are not included and cost about $12. Right now, the rink is open from 9am–11pm, but once the season ramps up, the rink opens as early as 7am. For some extra pre-Halloween fun, kids under age 12 can skate for free on Saturdays and Sundays until October 31 if they wear a costume. 

Acme Smoked Fish is a family-owned operation, known for its smoked fish, by way of lox and dips. And soon, it will be known for its comedy.

For the first time, the company is hosting a comedy night, aptly named,"Lox of Laughs." Hosted in collaboration with Underground Overground Comedy, the pop-up show will go down on October 25 at 8pm inside the Greenpoint smoked fish factory. Guests will be plied with laughter during the show, and then plied with unlimited lox sandwiches from Utopia Bagels and Manischewitz shots for good measure. Tickets are $80; reserve yours here. 

Anime lovers residing in New York, rejoice! This fall, Kodansha, one of Japan's largest publishers of manga, will debut a special immersive pop-up experience dedicated to all things anime at 45 Grand Street near West Broadway in Lower Manhattan.

Kodansha House: Where Manga Meets will officially open on October 4 and welcome guests on Wednesdays to Sundays between noon and 9pm through the end of October.

There will be lots to do at the pop-up, with activities and programming spanning in form and topic.

Looking to break into the craft beer industry? Or are you just trying to get your idea out of your head and into the world? Look no further than Betterfest. 

Betterfest is Talea Beer Co.’s first-ever beer festival committed to the betterment of you. Held on October 27, the one-day event is geared toward entrepreneurial New Yorkers who want to learn, grow and network over a few glasses of beer. Workshops are included in the full day of programming, including how to build a personal brand, how to start a business plan, and one of the most important aspects of owning your own business—tips on financing your idea. 

In our humble opinion, there are never too many places to go shopping around here. In fact, the more options there are out there, the better, especially when it comes to rare and great quality vintage pieces.

If you're a fan of flea markets, then BQ Flea, which is making its debut in Brooklyn in October, should be on your radar right now. 

Curated by the people behind the beloved and renowned Brooklyn Flea, which takes place under the Manhattan Bridge in Dumbo, BQ Flea will be open from 10am until 5pm every Sunday in October on Meeker Avenue between Union Avenue and Lorimer Street, right under the BQE. 

Lions, tigers and bears—oh my! The Bronx Zoo goes all out every Halloween season, and this year is no exception, with a month of spooky festivities. Come dressed in your All Hallows Eve best to enjoy live pumpkin carving demos, animal encounters, family-favorite outdoor games, costume parades, local food trucks and plenty of treats. 

Activities run on Saturdays and Sundays through October 27 (and on Monday, October 14). 

For an extra special treat, book a ticket for the zoo's Pumpkin Nights where you can wander through a trail of animal-themed jack-o'-lanterns.

Blood Manor has returned for its 21st year. The 10,000 square-foot mansion at 359 Broadway in Manhattan boasts plenty of blood-chilling rooms, spooky corridors and a labyrinth filled with surprises that will make you jump in abject horror. But there’s more: a great cast of actors equipped to instill maximum jump scares and state-of-the-art special effects and technology that combine reality with fantasy so that you don’t quite know what’s real and what isn’t.

Edges of Ailey is the first large-scale museum exhibition to reflect on the life, work and legacy of the visionary artist Alvin Ailey. Ailey founded his eponymous dance company in 1958, creating a platform for modern dance through his innovative repertoire and the unflinching support of other dancers and choreographers. His creative pursuits even extended far beyond dance.

This multimedia cross-disciplinary exhibition—presented in the museum’s 18,000+ square-foot fifth-floor galleries—brings together painting, sculpture, photography, drawings, print, and video made before, during, and after the artist's lifetime (1931-1989). It crystallizes his incredible influence on the contemporary art world and establishes him as one of the great polymaths and earliest, most celebrated multi-hyphenates of the 20th century. 

See it from through February 9, 2025 at The Whitney.

When Robert A. Caro's The Power Broker was first published 50 years ago, the book's release was met with great anticipation. Excerpts in The New Yorker gained lots of attention—including from the biography's subject, NYC government official Robert Moses, who described the deeply researched book as "venomous." Even so, it was impossible to predict whether a 700,000-word biography would resonate with readers. 

The book quickly earned acclaim, winning the Pulitzer Prize and finding a home on bookshelves across America, especially among New Yorkers. Now, five decades later, the monumental work still resonates for its look at NYC’s past and the lessons it holds for our future. The book and its tenacious author are the subject of a new exhibit at New-York Historical Society Museum & Library titled “Robert Caro’s The Power Broker at 50." See it at the Upper West Side museum through February 2, 2025. 

Each year, the Amazing Maize Maze's shape changes, and this year, it's designed like a butterfly. The species starts their life cycle on the farm's milkweed plants before they migrate nearly 3,000 miles to Mexico every year. The maze is not only a fun family activity this year, but also an homage to a threatened species that we should all protect.

You can visit the Amazing Maize Maze at the Queens County Farm Museum every Friday through Sunday until October 26. Tickets are $14 for adults and $10 for children ages 4-11. Entry is free for children under 3 years old. Online tickets are required before you visit and you can get them through their website. 

Just Do It. Er, Just Frame It. That's the motto of this exhibition at Poster House, a museum in Chelsea that's dedicated to posters. 

"Just Frame It: How Nike Turned Sports Stars into Superheroes" explores how one company paved the way for modern sports advertising. During the 20th century, it became a rite of passage for a professional athlete to cement their icon status by having their persona memorialized on a Nike poster. Today, in an age where athletes’ images are much more accessible and "just like us," these 60 posters may seem quaint—but they’re also larger-than-life and undeniably entertaining, just like the stars they depict.

Photographers featured in the exhibit include Chuck Kuhn, Bob Peterson, Gary Nolton, Ancil Nance, John Terence Turner, Chuck Rodgers, Harry De Zitter, Bill Sumners, Jean Moss, Pete Stone, Richard Noble, Cliff Watts, and Peggy Sirota. See it through February 23, 2025.

It's a different world for politicans trying to make a name for themselves nowadays. TikToks, Instagram posts and televised debates are the method du jour. But back in the 1800s, books made Abraham Lincoln.

He became a lawyer through self-disciplined study, won the White House through the concurrent rise of American popular publishing, and remains one of the most written about figures over the 160 years since his death. "Abraham Lincoln: His Life in Print" uses original printings of books and ephemera to create a sweeping, conceptual portrait of the man.

See it Grolier Club through December 28; it's free and open to the public.

This fall, you'll get a chance to feel like you're inside the mind of the one and only Tim Burton. The New York Botanical Garden is hosting the worldwide debut of a new light trail entirely inspired by the 1993 classic Disney film Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas.

The trail is comprised of over 8,300 square feet of light installations with interactive video projections, intelligent LED lighting and 3D printed sculptures of the film's iconic characters. 

The outdoor adventure runs through November 30; get tickets here. 

Fancy gowns and celebrity outfits are no strangers to museum collections. But the everyday clothing found in closets across America typically gets overlooked by fashion exhibits.

A new show coming to the New-York Historical Society, titled "Real Clothes, Real Lives: 200 Years of What Women Wore,” changes that. The newly announced exhibit will feature everyday women’s clothing from the past two centuries, including a well-worn Depression-era house dress, a college girl’s psychedelic micro mini, and an Abercrombie & Fitch wool suit bought off-the-rack in NYC in 1917 that was remade into a Relief uniform worn behind enemy lines in France. See the exhibition through June 22, 2025.

What does Jimmy Fallon dream about? Coming up with bits for The Tonight Show? Rocking out with his band, The Roots? Or perhaps something more sinister? 

At this new Halloween experience called Jimmy Fallon's Tonightmares, you can peek inside the mind of the renowned host. This haunted maze experience at Rockefeller Center is open now with 10 chilling rooms, each featuring one of Jimmy Fallon’s spine-tingling nightmares. Tickets are on sale now for about $37/person.

The maze features a cornfield with killer scarecrows, an abandoned subway with not-so-human-like creatures, and even a performance from a zombie boy band, making for a truly thrilling evening. Those brave enough to enter can expect an immersive experience with terrifying sets, practical effects and scares behind every corner.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Latin Grammys, the Paley Center has unveiled a free exhibit in heart of Manhattan that commemorates the best moments of the iconic awards ceremony throughout the years. Get a chance to gawk at some of the most memorable outfits from the Latin Grammys, marvel at some of the most iconic musical instruments used at the award show—yes, including Shakira's pink jewel-encrusted Fender guitar and harmonica—and bask in Latin Grammy trophies from years past.

For Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs until October 13, the Paley Center will also host screenings of moments when Hispanic actors and musicians ruled pop culture, including a 1999 Celia Cruz concert, a 2010 Dora the Explorer episode, and a screening of the beloved Chico and the Man. For tickets and full programming, visit the Paley Center's website. 

Carving a jack-o'-lantern may be a time-honored American tradition for many, but nobody—and we mean nobody—does pumpkin carving quite like Great Jack O’Lantern Blaze.

Every fall, pumpkins aplenty decorate two locations of this festive, family-friendly attraction. This year promises thousands of intricately carved jack-o'-lanterns in mesmerizing displays, plus dazzling new experiences in honor of the event's founding 20 years ago. 

Blaze: Hudson Valley runs at Van Cortlandt Manor in Croton-on-Hudson in Westchester County through November 17. Blaze: Long Island runs at Old Bethpage Village Restoration in Old Bethpage, Long Island from October 4 through November 3. Tickets are on sale now.

After you finish Life and Trust, the new immersive, three-hour epic from the producers of Sleep No More, you may want to start over. With more than two dozen characters to follow around six floors of gorgeously crafted environments in a former bank building, this choose-your-own-theatrical adventure demands multiple viewings to see—and make sense—of it all.

Even though the show has only been running since June and is far from a cheap ticket, some fans have been numerous times. If you’re looking for tips and spoilers, including how to find hidden spaces like the poodle room or the lake, or what happens to the few chosen for one-on-one character interactions, there’s an active Life and Trust subreddit, a jam-packed Medium post and passionate Discord discussions. 

Life and Trust is playing at Conwell Tower on Beaver Street, booking now through October 13, 2024. You can buy tickets here. There’s also a new monthly series called “Unlocked” which is a talk back about the creative process that’s free to attend. RSVP here.

“Recording the Ride: The Rise of Street-Style Skate Videos" will honor DIY filmmaking with videos, vintage skate decks and other objects related to the formative years of the skate video in the 1980s and 1990s. See it in Astoria through January 26, 2025. With limited budgets and cheap video equipment, skaters recorded their limit-pushing tricks on stairs, benches, and other skate-able elements of public architecture. These grainy videos of bodies in flight were set to music-driven montages on VHS-format videos, often with a defining fish-eye lens. 

New Yorkers are used to the many public art sculptures that decorate NYC’s vibrant streets and parks. But this fall, a new set of statues coming to the Meatpacking District may set a whole new bar for the city’s public art scene. 

One hundred life-size elephants have appeared in the Meatpacking District as part of “The Great Migration,” a global fundraising effort to uplift Indigenous voices and motivate the human race to share space with their animal neighbors. See them through October.

Start your weekend off right at Time Out Market New York’s stunning rooftop! Friday Night Vibes gets the party going on the fifth floor at 7pm with tunes from DJ Stretch (on the first and third Friday of every month) and DJ Price Is Right (on the second and fourth Friday).

Dance the night away with specialty cocktails from the Market’s awesome bar and grab bites from one of two dozen kitchens including, Jacob’s Pickles, Bark Barbecue and Wayla. Enjoy it all to the incredible views of the East River, the NYC skyline and the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. 

Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building has been giving us murders to solve for three seasons, and now as the fourth season debuts, it’s giving us one more mystery to solve—in person. Hulu and The Escape Game, located in midtown, have partnered up to create The Only Murders in the Building Escape Game.

The escape game is played across a couple of rooms that have been outfitted to look like the Arconia hallway and Charles’ apartment. You have 60 minutes to escape and if you need a clue, there’s a red button you can smash that plays a snippet from the theme song when you push it. Staffers then shell out an idea for you to try. There also may have been hidden bookcase doorways, a laser and even a water feature puzzle. Check it out now because it’s on for a limited time!

Explore the extraordinary life of Lord Byron—the famous scribe known for his lengthy narratives Don Juan and Childe Harold's Pilgrimage—at this new exhibition at the New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building. Running through January 12, the collection of personal letters, literary manuscripts, illustrated biographies, paintings, prints, and even wine bills traces Byron’s movements, from his youth in Aberdeen, to his sudden fame after the publication of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage, to his death in Greece at the age of 36. 

You might not know who Cellino and Barnes are, but you can definitely recite their law firm's phone number by heart. 

Ross Cellino Jr. and Steve Barnes founded their personal injury law firm in Buffalo, New York back in 1998. The pair quickly rose to prominence after their distinctive jingle—"Cellino and Barnes, injury attorneys, call 1-800-888-8888"—basically turned them into Internet celebrities.

That history, including what led to the dissolution of the company, is the subject of the Off Broadway dark comedy Cellino V. Barnes, at Asylum NYC (123 East 24th Street by Lexington Avenue) now through October 13. Tickets for Cellino V. Barnes are available here. 

A new immersive installation at the World Trade Center hopes to remind us of our shard connectedness by displaying thousands of anonymous hand written stories collected from all sorts of people. 

The exhibition, called The Strangers Project, will be set up inside the South Concourse of the Oculus at the World Trade Center Thursdays through Sundays from 2pm until 7pm for an indefinite period of time. 

Each note contains a true story by a stranger, ranging from hilarious tales to inspiring anecdotes and downright heartbreaking recountings. In the 15 years since the project started, Doman has collected more than 95,000 stories and allowed thousands of strangers to empathize with each other without ever meeting. 

As Edgar Allan Poe once wrote, "What care I how time advances? I am drinking ale today." His words serve as the toast to kick off the weekly Literary Pub Crawl, which highlights the fascinating literary history around New York City, particularly in Greenwich Village.

Though the Literary Pub Crawl has a long history in New York City—25 years, 200 authors and 2,000 beers—it remains one of the more under-the-radar walking tours around town. This Saturday afternoon activity offers a chance to learn a lot while sipping your drink of choice, bringing a whole new definition to "get lit."

The tour runs about three hours, totaling a mile of walking. Tickets cost $49/person, plus bring along some cash if you'd like to buy drinks. You'll leave having learned something, having sipped a few drinks, and hopefully feeling inspired to go read.

This sprawling 16,000-square-foot space in Bushwick, designed to double as a concert venue and nightclub for up to 1,200 people, is the city’s first new wooden roller skating rink in over a decade.

Xanadu is decorated with a giant black-and-white photo of a group of young Black skaters taken over 40 years ago, a model for the energy in the room today. There’s also a rinkside bar, serving drinks with names like Skaterade and Purple Rain with direct sightlines of all the action on the wood. And in the bathroom, a surprise DJ spins a soundtrack for patrons to dance to as they wash their hands, a cheeky setup Kataria calls, “Club Flush.”

Smorgasburg, the food bazaar spectacular, is back for 2024 with dozens of great local vendors across three locations.

In fact, with more than 70 vendors, it's the largest Smorgasburg lineup since 2018! Vendors this year will serve up fragrant Ethiopian stews, Hawaii-style street comforts, explosive pani puri, potato puff poutine, and lots more.

Smorgasburg WTC runs on Fridays; Williamsburg is on Saturdays; and Prospect Park is on Sundays. Each location is open from 11am-6pm and operates weekly through October. 

The Brooklyn Flea is undoubtedly one of the most popular flea markets to hit in NYC if you're looking for the best selection of throwback wares and records.

Find Brooklyn Flea in DUMBO on the cobblestone streets of Pearl Plaza, where it spotlights roughly more than 40 vendors who display their goods beneath the Manhattan Bridge. Brookyn Flea operates on Saturday and Sundays, now through December. Brooklyn Flea also operates in Chelsea year-round on Saturdays and Sundays.

Ocean noise, chemical pollution, climate change and sea level rise are words that often appear in the news. But these important concepts can be hard to make sense of—or to understand at all.

That's where artist Jenny Kendler comes in. Her new exhibit, Other of Pearl, confronts these pressing environmental issues in ways that feel more accessible with stirring whale songs, incredible pearl sculptures, a crystalline whale eye cast with human tears, and more. You can see these powerful works for free on Wednesdays-Sundays from 10am-5pm now through October on Governors Island. 

Seven intimate, delicate works are displayed in the cavernous, subterranean magazine of historic Fort Jay, a star-shaped fortification built on Governors Island between 1775 and 1776. 

Sometimes you’ll feel very tall, sometimes very small, and sometimes in awe of it all at this new New York Botanical Garden exhibit that celebrates the magic of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. With a variety of botanical and artistic exhibitions throughout the Bronx garden’s 250 acres, “Wonderland: Curious Nature” encourages visitors to get “curiouser and curiouser” around every turn. 

See a massive white (well, actually green) rabbit made entirely of plants; explore an enchanting English garden with delightfully weird flora; climb through a rabbit hole; hang out in a house made of mycelium bricks; and much more at this sprawling exhibition. Wonderland: Curious Nature runs through October 27, 2024, and will evolve with each season.

Though it's now more than 150 years since the first publication of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the delightful story with its heroic protagonist feels just as fresh as ever—especially at New York Botanical Garden with its enchanting scientific and artistic twist on the story. 

Mercer Labs, Museum of Art and Technology is a unique new immersive museum created by Roy Nachum, the artist behind Rihanna’s famous 2016 “Anti” album cover, and his business partner Michael Cayre, a real estate developer. 

The 36,000-square-foot space opened in early 2024 at 21 Dey Street, inside the bank building that used to be part of the now-nextdoor Century 21. There are a total of 15 different rooms to explore, each one attacking all the senses upon entrance.

Some outstanding installations include the one that the staff refers to as "The Dragon," where a total of 500,000 individual LED lights hung on strings adorn a room and are lit up to created 3D videos, including one of a galloping horse, that will catch your attention.

In the resonant words of A$AP Rocky, "The nails, the kilts, the pretty-boy swag, the pearls—I think it's just being comfortable. I just express myself with fashion, and what's fly is fly." What's fly is "Ice Cold: An Exhibition of Hip-Hop Jewelry" at the American Museum of Natural History, a new show that features dozens of incredible necklaces, rings, watches, chains, and more worn by some of the biggest names in music.

A few highlights include T-Pain's Big Ass Chain necklace, Ghostface Killah's eagle arm band, Nicki Minaj's Barbie pendant, Beyoncé's nail rings, Cardi B's nipple covers, and Slick Rick's crown. While the pieces are a sight to behold up-close, the exhibit carries a much deeper meaning, especially as New York City wraps up its 50 years of hip-hop celebrations.

See the exhibit now at the American Museum of Natural History with general admission, which is pay-as-you-wish for New Yorkers. Find it in the Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals on the first floor through January 5, 2025.

Basically a massive maze made of ropes, this new exhibit allows attendees to jump inside, climb, relax and even get lost in the whole webbed arrangement that’s comprised of 80,000 feet of handwoven rope, which is part of a 400-square-foot interactive artwork created by Treenet Collective, a net expert company. 

Find "The INTERnet" at INTER_, the interactive art center at 415 Broadway by Canal Street in Soho.

The installation, which accommodates 15 people at once, boasts a variety of different weaving styles, each one creating a "setting" for folks to dive into, including the "quantum leap," where guests can play in mid-air, and the "social network," a more serene space that will feel like you are floating above everyone else.

Following a slew of pop-ups and stand-alone exhibits, elusive England-based street artist Banksy is getting the New York City museum treatment: The Banksy Museum has debuted at 277 Canal Street by Broadway. 

The space will display over 160 works by the artist—from his instantly recognizable street art to studio pieces, videos and animated visuals—making this "the largest display of Banksy work ever seen in a single setting."

Tickets for the museum are available right here.

Need a laugh? The Second City—the renowned comedy club with locations in Chicago and Toronto—just opened in Brooklyn, and you will definitely laugh out loud there. The New York City venue, which opened on the legendary club’s 65th anniversary, offers hilarious live comedy every single night of the week.

The club has debuted "The Second City Presents The Mainstage Revue 1: Ruthless Acts of Kindness," a completely original NYC revue, which has been created in conversation with the audience over the last ten-weeks.

Some of the funniest names in comedy got their start at Second City. Just a few Second City alumni include: Bill Murray, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Amber Ruffin, Keegan-Michael Key, Chris Farley, Tina Fey, Stephen Colbert, and Aidy Bryant. You might just see the next comedy star on this stage.

The venue offers sketch shows and improv performances, along with a great restaurant and no drink minimums in a beautiful venue. Tickets start at $39.

Eat your way through Japan without ever leaving New York City at JAPAN Fes, the massive foodie festival, which is back and bigger than ever for 2024. The organization is hosting 30 outdoor events this year stretching through November in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens. Event organizers say it's the largest Japanese food festival in the world, attracting 300,000 visitors and featuring 1,000 vendors every year.

Expect dishes including takoyaki, ramen, matcha sweets, yakisoba, karaage, okonomiyaki, and lots more. They're even hosting a ramen contest and a konamon contest this year to crown the best of the bunch. Vendors hail from New York City, as well as other states and other countries. 

Here's the full list of dates and neighborhoods.

Grand Bazaar is one of NYC’s oldest and largest marketplaces where you can buy vintage treasures, antiques, clothing and more goodies from more than 100 local merchants. Photographers, jewelers and furniture designers sell their best on Sundays between 10am and 5pm on the Upper West Side (77th Street at Columbus Avenue). 

Each week offers a different theme, from featuring women-owned businesses to focusing on handmade items to spotlighting international wares. The market runs both indoors and outdoors each week all year long.

Think bugs are creepy? Think again. That's the message of IMAGINARI, an immersive art and science experience in Manhattan. 

The year-long exhibition called The Insect World shows just how cool—and important—bugs actually are. You’ll get to walk through fields of 6-foot flowers, come face-to-face with Picasso bug artwork, and see a mantis partying under a disco ball. Larger-than-life ladybug sculptures dot the floor, and 200 faux monarch butterflies perch on a 12-foot cherry blossom tree. It all adds up to an important message of environmental stewardship. Tickets are on sale now for $36; the all-ages exhibition will be on view for one year.

It's another election year, and once again, women's rights are on the ballot. What would the suffragists who fought for women's right to vote say to us now, a century later?

Shaina Taub, the powerhouse writer of Suffs, a musical coming to Broadway this spring, answers that question with a lyric: “Keep marching. Keep marching on.” It’s a line from the finale of the show, which she produced with support from former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai. The show has now made its Broadway Debut at the Music Box Theatre.

For more than a century, the Statue of Liberty has offered inspiration as a beacon of freedom, equality, and democracy. And for just as long, she has also served as an inspiration for tattoo artists. 

A new exhibit at City Reliquary, a jewel box of a museum in Brooklyn's Williamsburg neighborhood, features vintage State of Liberty tattoos. As the first show devoted to Lady Liberty ink, it also traces tattooing history in NYC since the 1800s. "Liberty the Tattooed Lady: The Great Bartholdi Statue as Depicted in Tattooing" is now open through January 12, 2025.

The exhibition spotlights antique flash, vintage photographs, drawings, and other ephemera that show how Lady Liberty has been a popular subject in tattooing for as long as she’s stood in New York Harbor. You'll even get to see vintage tattoo art that's never been on display before.

Puttery is an adults-only mini-golf and nightlife destination that just opened at 446 West 14th Street by Washington Street in the Meatpacking District and is backed by, among others, Irish professional golfer Rory McIlroy.

The first location of its kind in New York, Puttery spans 24,000 square feet over five levels that feature an underground lounge and a total of three bars, including a rooftop one that will be open year-round (yes, there will be heat lamps on site). 

There’s a lot of good to see at this Manhattan subway stop. 

Two years after opening the subterranean bar Nothing Really Matters, hospitality professional Adrien Gallo continues building his subway station empire, opening See No Evil Pizza last week on the concourse level of the downtown-bound 1 train station at 50th Street and Broadway—a space that once housed a Dunkin’. It joins his Tiny Dancer Coffee on the same concourse.

“I basically transformed a subway station that was super neglected to a destination spot in the middle of Times Square,” Gallo tells Time Out New York.  

Find See No Evil Pizza is located on the concourse level of the downtown-bound 1 train station at 50th Street and Broadway. It is open for pop-ins and Resy reservations Monday-Saturday from 5pm-midnight. 

Mercer Labs, Museum of Art and Technology, a new immersive museum is now open. It's the brainchild of Roy Nachum, the artist behind Rihanna’s famous 2016 “Anti” album cover, and his business partner Michael Cayre, a real estate developer. 

The 36,000-square-foot space is located at 21 Dey Street, inside the bank building that used to be part of the now-nextdoor Century 21. It's filled with room after room of immersive fun.

The first of 15 experiences, for example, will take you through a giant room equipped with 26-foot-high projectors that blast a series of images all around that will have you feel like you've just taken a swim inside the sorts of motifs that Nachum explores throughout his work. You will quite literally land inside his art pieces.

In another room, which is being branded as one of only three 4D sound studios in the world, guests are asked to wear a blindfold and lay on the floor to properly enjoy the sounds blasting out of the 36 speakers that are embedded under the elevated floor.

Head to a beloved West Village music shop for a banging musical comedy blowout every Friday night. This variety show mixes music, comedy, and characters with apperances by Stephen Sihelnik (NY Comedy Festival), Natan Badalov (Adult Swim), Alexander Payne (Netflix), and surprise guests.

Fun fact: The event's set in New York's oldest continually-run music and record store, Music Inn World Instruments. It's been in operation since 1958 and has been heavily featured in the first two seasons of "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel."

Show up early, save a seat and BYOB: You're in for a party.

A pastel-hued floral mural with a feminist message is the newest addition to the High Line. Titled “Thank You Darling,” this mural by Dutch artist Lily van der Stokker celebrates the playful, feminine realm often overlooked or derided in our culture. 

"Van der Stokker’s work, which she has referred to as 'feminist conceptual pop art,' is undeniably joyful and positive. However, it often simultaneously speaks to weighty themes—aging, health, and, more generally, the lived experience of being a woman within patriarchal structures," a press release from High Line Art explains.

Her installation for the High Line continues this practice for a wide public audience, offering a sweet expression of gratitude to the millions of passersby and inhabitants of nearby buildings. Find the words THANK YOU DARLiNG (with that capitalization) on the side of a building adjacent to the High Line at 22nd Street.

With the word "darling" styled in bright yellow bubble letters, the mural seems to reach out to personally thank every single person who sees it. Check it out through November 2024.

"What a pleasure to lift Lily van der Stokker's cheerful message to the New York City skyline," said Cecilia Alemani, the Donald R. Mullen Director and Chief Curator of High Line Art. "We hope her work brings visitors and New Yorkers alike a feeling of joy and appreciation."

Beautiful, buoyant, beguiling bubbles are back at the New York Hall of Science (NYSCI) in Queens. The beloved bubbles exhibit, which had been closed for five years, has returned bigger, better and bubblier than ever.

The Big Bubble Experiment encourages kids of all ages to experiment and discover through the joy of playing with bubbles. That includes blowing, stretching, popping and looking closely to see what happens at each move. 

The exhibit features 10 stations, each one with different tools and methods for exploring bubble solution.

Majestic, incredible elephants are getting the spotlight in a new exhibit at The American Museum of Natural History. "The Secret World of Elephants" showcases both modern and ancient elephants, offering visitors a chance to see a full-scale model of a woolly mammoth, learn about what elephants eat, touch an elephant's tooth, listen to elephant calls and more.

The exhibition is now open in the museum’s LeFrak Family Gallery. An additional ticket is required to visit the exhibit; museum members can visit for free.

In New York City, it can be hard to find an apartment with a nice bathtub you'd actually want to soak in. Heck, it can be hard to find an apartment where the shower isn't in a closet in the living room (ahem, this $1.25 million StreetEasy listing).

But now cosmetics company LUSH is solving that very New York problem with a new book-a-bath service just launched this week. In addition to indulgent baths, LUSH Spa Lexington also offers massage treatments and facials, creating a calming oasis near hectic midtown. Find the newly opened spa on the Upper East Side at Lexington Avenue and East 61st Street.

Given the fact that LUSH invented the bath bomb, they’re pros when it comes to bathing. For the book-a-bath experience, head through the store and climb the stairs to the spa. Inside a petite pink-and-white bathroom, a clawfoot tub beckons. Before your bath, a staff member will prepare the water with a Snow Fairy bath bomb, which creates glittery pastel pink water. Plus, they’ll offer a fresh face mask tailored for your skin, a curated playlist and a cup of vegan hot chocolate. 

When Jack Kliger, President & CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage – A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in Battery Park City, and his team started working on a new kid-friendly exhibit about the Holocaust almost four years ago, they could not have imagined the chaotic world order that the show was eventually going to premiere in.

"Courage to Act: Rescue in Denmark" tells the story of the Danish Rescue, when citizens of the European country came together to usher nearly 7,000 Jews to safety and away from concentration camps during World War II.

There's a reason Chamber Magic has remained a staple in NYC's magic scene for more than two decades: It dazzles, show after show, with tricks that'll still leave you awestruck days later. 

The charming Steve Cohen, billed as the Millionaires’ Magician, conjures high-class parlor magic in the marble-columned Madison Room at the swank Lotte New York Palace. Dress to be impressed (cocktail attire is required); tickets start at $125, with an option to pay more for meet-and-greet time and extra tricks with Cohen after the show. If you've come to see a classic-style magic act, you get what you pay for.

Sporting a tuxedo and bright rust hair, the magician delivers routines that he has buffed to a patent-leather gleam: In addition to his signature act—"Think-a-Drink," involving a kettle that pours liquids by request—highlights include a lulu of levitation trick and a card-trick finale that leaves you feeling like, well, a million bucks.

The name really says it all: Make bonsai in a bar! These teeny tiny trees are the definition of "happy little trees." 

The pros from Bonsai Bar will teach you the fundamental skills and techniques behind the art of bonsai while you sip your drink and have some fun with your friends. The teachers will also help you as you pot, prune and design your very own bonsai tree. 

Bonsai Bar events pop up all over the city at locations like Brooklyn Brewery, the Bronx Brewery and SingleCut Beersmiths Queens Taproom.

If you're not a paint-and-sip kind of person, try Act & Sip, a beer-fueled acting workshop in an Off-Broadway Theater with expert instructors. They pair students off with partners and hand over the pages to a scene from a well-known iconic NYC sitcom or movie, offering tips along the way to help performers conquer stage fright and discover their inner actor.

This event is perfect for bachelorette parties, after-work outings, or just a fun night with friends to get on stage with a little help from liquid courage. You don't need any experience, but you must be 21 or older and BYOB.

Wild Captives, the nation’s first female- and LGBTQ-owned archery studio, is now open. It's a place where everyone can "be their own superhero." The studio in Brooklyn’s Industry City offers empowering and fun hour-long introduction to archery classes every weekend for $45/person. 

Each intro class includes a chance to learn about different parts of the bow and safety requirements. After the lesson, each participant gets a chance to shoot the bow trying to pop a balloon pinned onto the bullseye. Intro-to-archery classes are available each Friday, Saturday and Sunday, bookable online for anyone over age 12.

Every day, our staffers are eating, drinking, partying, gigging and generally appreciating their way throughout this fair town of ours. Which makes pinning down the most essential New York activities kinda…tough. We need to include the classics, naturally—art museums in NYC, stellar New York attractions, killer bars and restaurants in NYC—but also spotlight the more recent or little-known gems that we truly love. Consider the below your NYC Bible.